by vfcadmin | Jun 4, 2025 | Year of Reflection
Unexpected Help Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer The other day I was getting ready to leave the house in my car. I walked around in front of it and saw one of the green and bronze lizards who enjoy my front yard. It was in line with the front tire. Not wishing to run...
by vfcadmin | May 28, 2025 | Year of Reflection
Nothing Says ‘I Love You’ Like… Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer This Memorial Day weekend was also the anniversary of the devastating tornado that struck our area of Benton County a year ago. I had purchased flower arrangements to place on my parents’ and grandparents’...
by vfcadmin | May 21, 2025 | Year of Reflection
Nature’s Gifts Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer Spring is a time of promise for nature’s bounty after the chill of winter. Birds are nesting. Trees are blooming. Fresh greens are ready for harvest. And gardeners are planting as well as beginning to pick their garden’s...
by vfcadmin | May 14, 2025 | Year of Reflection
Exercising Your “New Man” Nature Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer In 1999 V.H. Carr introduced the concept of 5 stages of technological adoption. From innovators who love trying the latest new gadget to the laggards who resist new technology until it is inevitable, we...
by vfcadmin | May 14, 2025 | Year of Reflection
A Cup of This, a Tablespoon of That Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer What kind of cook are you? I tend to be a “substitute this for that, let’s experiment” cook rather than a “it tastes the same each time I make it” cook. I can assure you some of my trials are failures...
by vfcadmin | May 7, 2025 | Year of Reflection
Do I Really Have to Forgive…Again? By Ruth Ann Stites Back in Week 6 we looked at Jesus’ teachings on being forgiving people. If his words were not enough to wrap our heads around, here are a few other Scriptures addressing the topic of forgiveness: In him we have...
by vfcadmin | Apr 30, 2025 | Year of Reflection
The Watercarrier: Hard but Necessary Work Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer I started thinking about the idea of water carrying a few weeks ago. It is certainly a Biblical topic from Rebecca at the well in Genesis to Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman in John to the...
by vfcadmin | Apr 23, 2025 | Year of Reflection
On Mending Broken Pots and Broken Lives Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer Some years ago one of my sisters gave our mother this pottery popcorn keeper. Being more fragile than it looked, the lid, lip, and handle broke. Because it had sentimental value as well as good...
by vfcadmin | Apr 16, 2025 | Year of Reflection
Easter: When Sorrow Comes Before Joy Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer As we looked forward to the beginning of spring in March, we also began to think about the greatest of Christian holy days, Easter, being a movable feast, is in April in 2025. Before we reach...
by vfcadmin | Apr 2, 2025 | Year of Reflection
Trailing Clouds of Glory Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer The title of this reflection is from a poem by William Wordsworth. I think it captures our innate understanding of the wonder of childhood. Who among us does not smile when we see a young child discover something...
